Five More Minutes!
by lady bundtcake
Summary: Hotaru just wants to stay up a LITTLE longer, but Haruka-papa's got a plan to get her to go to bed on time.


Five More Minutes  
  
(c) ladybundtcake, march 15, 2004  
  
"WHY?"  
  
"Because," Michiru said in a no-nonsense manner, "It's eight o'clock, and that's your bedtime."  
  
Hotaru clasped her hands in front of her and gave Michiru her best puppy eyes. "Please, Michiru-mama? Just fifteen more minutes!"  
  
"Hotaru-chan, you know tomorrow is a school day."  
  
"Ten more minutes!"  
  
"Hotaru-chan..."  
  
"Five??"  
  
Michiru opened her mouth to say something, but Haruka, who had appeared in the hallway with the other two girls, cut her off saying, "All right, Hotaru-chan, five more minutes. But I bet you'll be asleep in four."  
  
Hotaru laughed. "I will NOT, Haruka-papa!" she said.  
  
Michiru narrowed her eyes at her lover. "Haruka, we can't let her get to stay up late every night, we'll spoil her rotten!" she chided.  
  
"Nonsense," Haruka chuckled, giving Michiru a quick squeeze around the shoulders. "Besides, I said she'll be out like a light before those five minutes are up."  
  
"But how do you expect..." Michiru started, but gasped as Haruka shot past her, scooping Hotaru up in her arms and dashing into the younger girl's room.  
  
"Haruka-papa!" Hotaru cried, giggling as she threw her arms around the blonde woman's neck.  
  
"Hotaru SHAKING!" Haruka cried, as she tossed Hotaru onto her little bed before pouncing on her and proceeding to nuzzle her tiny tummy.  
  
"BPPPPTTTH!"  
  
"EEEEE!" Hotaru shrieked, laughing and trying to push Haruka's head away. She stood up on her bed and grabbed a pillow, thwacking Haruka across the head with it. "Silent Pillow Surprise!" she shouted between giggles.   
  
"Hey!" Haruka said, but Michiru had arrived on the scene. Grasping the edges of Hotaru's fluffy down comforter, the sea senshi succeeded in wrapping her child up in a cottony cocoon, with a mighty cry of, "Blanket Submerge!"  
  
The three girls were tangled up in sheets and pillows, laughing so loudly that it brought Setsuna to the doorway. "What in the world is going on?" the time guardian asked, her garnet eyes wide with surprise.  
  
Haruka flashed her a roguish grin. "We're just tucking Hotaru-chan in for the night!" she said cheerfully, before Michiru walloped her with a pillow. "Okay, whose side are you ON?" the wind senshi said, tackling the aqua-haired girl.  
  
Setsuna continued to stand in the doorway, blinking, as her daughter tumbled off the bed and ran over to her. "Sleep Ribbon Revolution!" the little girl giggled as she tossed an empty pillowcase at the older woman.  
  
The time guardian laughed. "Oh, if that's the way we're playing...Tickle Scream!" she shouted, grabbing Hotaru and tickling the tiny senshi as she shrieked and giggled.  
  
The four girls were soon spread out on the floor in a rolling, laughing, tickling mass. Michiru managed to swipe Haruka several more times with the pillows before surrendering to Haruka's tickling, and Setsuna laughed as the wind senshi successfully pinned her lover to the carpet. "Victory is mine!" shouted Haruka, as Michiru made a face up at her.  
  
"Shh!" Setsuna hissed, gesturing at Hotaru. The little girl was curled up on a lump of blankets and pillows, her black hair mussed around her face, her breathing deep.  
  
"Let me up," Michiru whispered as she rolled out from her partner's grasp. She smiled, brushing a lock of aqua hair from her eyes as she looked down at her daughter. "She's so adorable," Michiru smiled.  
  
Haruka scooped the little girl up in her arms and grinned. "She certainly is," she said, laying Hotaru in her bed. She picked up the blankets from the mess on the floor and tucked Hotaru in before planting a soft kiss on the small girl's forehead.   
  
Haruka glanced over at the alarm clock on Hotaru's nightstand. "Hey look, Michiru," she said.  
  
Michiru and Setsuna peered at the digital numbers.  
  
8:04 PM.  
  
"Told ya," Haruka said cheekily. "Haruka-papa's always right!"  
  
"Oh, you!" Michiru whispered, giving Haruka a playful swat across the rear.  
  
Haruka grinned slyly. "If you can catch me, I'll be sure to give you a little World Shaking treatment tonight!" she said, before dashing out of the room. Michiru giggled and quickly followed after her.  
  
Setsuna just shook her head, smiling. She clicked off the lights in Hotaru's bedroom.  
  
"Sleep well, Hime-chan." 


End file.
